A large refined-products tanker operated by a Chinese shipowner came under attack on May 4 off the UAE’s Al Jeer Port, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
Chinese media Caixin reported on Thursday that the vessel’s deck caught fire, and the ship bore the marking “CHINA OWNER & CREW.”
A source familiar with the shipowner told Caixin that this incident marked the first known attack on a Chinese oil tanker, labeling it as “psychologically very difficult to accept.”
Recent Attack
On Monday, a British maritime agency reported that unidentified projectiles also hit a tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
The attack came as the United States unveiled plans to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, amid mounting regional tensions.
“A tanker has reported being hit by unknown projectiles,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, noting that all crew members were safe.
The agency said that the incident took place roughly 78 nautical miles north of the UAE port city of Fujairah.
At the same time, it urged vessels transiting the area to proceed “with caution” as investigations into the incident continue.
War in Iran
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead, triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The adversaries remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran tightens its control over maritime traffic while the United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that the United States would begin escorting commercial vessels through the strait starting Monday.
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Turkey Open to Join Hormuz Demining Operations after Iran-US Deal
Iran Vows to Keep Hormuz Closed Amid US Blockade
